Russia is expanding its nuclear agreement network across Asia at a pace no other country can currently match. Rosatom is operating on three distinct yet complementary fronts: completing reactor units under construction in China, delivering the first plant agreed with Vietnam, and conducting structured talks with Indonesia on small modular reactor technology.
In China, several Russian-designed nuclear units are nearing completion. Putin has confirmed that Moscow remains Beijing’s preferred partner in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that Russia is ready to discuss new nuclear projects with China, including specialist training and research into advanced nuclear technologies. This energy axis — spanning gas, coal, electricity, and nuclear — is one both sides are keen to deepen further.
On the Vietnamese front, the most concrete step came on 23 March 2026: Russia and Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement in Moscow for the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, the Ninh Thuan 1 project. The chosen reactor is the VVER-1200, a Generation III+ design already operational in Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, and Bangladesh. Rosatom plans to install new reactors with a combined capacity of 2.4 million kilowatts. Vietnam is aiming to have its first unit online by 2031. The two countries are also cooperating on the construction of a nuclear science and technology centre, featuring a Russian-designed research reactor.
With Indonesia, the path is different but no less significant. President Prabowo Subianto met Putin in Vladivostok in early September 2026, proposing Indonesia as Russia’s gateway to Southeast Asia. Nuclear energy — both large-scale plants and modular configurations — is central to the bilateral cooperation under discussion. In May, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev had already met Prabowo in Jakarta, outlining a long-term partnership encompassing personnel training and SMR technologies. Indonesia is targeting two operational nuclear plants between 2032 and 2033.
The regional context explains the speed of these developments. Electricity demand across Southeast Asia is set to grow sharply over the coming decades, driven by industrial expansion and the proliferation of data centres linked to artificial intelligence. ASEAN estimates that regional energy demand will triple by 2050. Against this backdrop, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are also exploring nuclear options, with growing interest in SMRs. Rosatom has already signed agreements or memoranda with Myanmar and has received recognition as best nuclear technology supplier at major industry exhibitions in the region.
The trajectory is clear. Rosatom is not simply selling reactors: it is building long-term technological dependencies through fuel supply, maintenance services, and local workforce training. Every agreement signed today forges a relationship that lasts for decades. For Southeast Asia — which must balance energy security, decarbonisation, and economic growth — Russian nuclear technology represents an immediately available and financially accessible solution. The race to become the region’s go-to nuclear supplier has already begun, and Russia holds a tangible head start over its competitors.
